March 3, 1914

Monday

Mar 3, 2014 at 12:01 AMMar 3, 2014 at 2:50 AM

The new gambling ordinance, the retention of Chief Amann and the resignations of the eighteen volunteer firemen because of the city denying nine of their number free telephones will be the principal matters coming before the city council at the regular monthly meeting tonight.

The new gambling ordinance, the retention of Chief Amann and the resignations of the eighteen volunteer firemen because of the city denying nine of their number free telephones will be the principal matters coming before the city council at the regular monthly meeting tonight.

The deposing of Chief Amann, if such a course is followed, is expected to cause the gathering of storm clouds. One plan suggested to dispense with Chief Amann and his $90 a month salary, and $15 a month feed for private horse, and put Assistant Chief Harring Ling at the head. It is understood that Assistant Chief Ling would not thus mount over the head of his superior and that the rest of the firemen would balk. Besides, scores of Chief Amann's friends feel that a little sentiment should be mixed with the economy policy, and the city strive for a compromise, in view of chief Amann's twenty years of service for the city.

In regard to the resignations of the volunteer firemen, some of the council maintain that they — most of whom have interests here, should be willing to make a sacrifice for the city and not raise the cry of "free phones or no fight fire."

The chief objection to the proposed new gambling ordinance, which is a replica of the state law covering the vice, with the exception that it provides lighter penalties, is that it contains a joker, that instead of increasing the ban, decreases. It provides punishment for games they play at Monte Carlo, but none for games they play in Medford, and intricacies of banking a game are befuddled. Some of the council hold that the old ordinance should be retained, with an amendment or two.

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The case of A.A. Johnson, on trial in the circuit court charged with living in and about a house of ill fame will go to the jury late this afternoon, testimony still being under way at two o'clock this afternoon. Charles Turner, indicted on a similar charge as co-defendant of Johnson's, was acquitted last week.

Eighteen or twenty witnesses were called by the state and defense, tending to prove and disprove that Johnson, age 72, harbored immoral characters in his home on North Central Avenue. It is alleged that derelicts of both sexes came there to carouse, and that Johnson's own nieces and kin took part in the night orgies that disturbed the neighborhood. The evidence in the case is highly sordid, and a large crowd packed the courtroom to listen to the salacious details.